Crayon box



Aug. 10, 1948. c. P. WELLMAN CRAYON BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Sept. 7, 1944 INVENTOR; CHARLES P. WELLMAN AT TORNEY Aug. 10, 1948. c, w L 2,446,896

CRAYON BOX Original F iled Sept. '7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvroa CHARLES I? WELLMAN ATTOPNE Y Patented Aug. 10, 1948 CRAYON BOX Charles P. Wellman, deceased, late of Pleasant Ridge, Mich, by Minnie M. Wellman, administratrix, Pleasant Ridge, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Andrew S. Mihalik Continuation of application Serial No. 553,088, September 7, 1944. This application July 12, 1945, Serial No. 604,593

15 Claims. 1

The purpose of the improvement is to provide a box for crayons made in such a manner that only one crayon at a time may be removed from said box for use, and that said crayon must first be returned into the box before another can be removed therefrom. Having this purpose in mind, the object of the invention was to provide a box of simple and rugged construction, but reliable and eflicient in its operation. This application is a continuation of application of Charles P. Weilman, deceased, Serial No. 553,088, filed September 7, 1944, now abandoned.

The improvement will now be described with respect to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the box, with parts broken off for the purpose of showing its inner construction;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said box;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a crayon magazine, which is a part of said box, the magazine being shown in reduced size.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of said box, taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an extractor, which is a part of said box;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of said box taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The box of the invention, generally indicated by numeral I0, is an oblong, rectangular container comprising two end walls I I, a considerably thicker front wall I2, a rear wall I3, 3, top I4 permanently secured in place, and a bottom member I5. A circular window I6 cut centrally in top I4, adjoins a. longitudinal slot in said top, the slot extending parallel to the front wall of the box. Both, that is, the window and the slot, serve a purpose which shall be presently described.

Within the box, spaced from top I 4 and disposed parallel thereto, is a platform I8 supporting on its upper surface a movable magazine I9 for crayons. The latter is wide enough to abut slidingly the front wall of the box and is spaced from the rear end of the box by a bar 34 placed at the conjunction of top I4 and said rear wall I3. As to its length, it is approximately half as long as the box in which it is disposed and includes a plurality of cells 20, separated by walls 2I running transversely to the length of the box, each cell being open at the bottom and each serving to accommodate a single crayon. The arrangement calls for a crayon of a different color in each of the adjoining cells The location of the crayon of any particular color is indicated on top surface of the magazine, right above the respective cell, by a correspondingly tinted panel in a band 22 of such panels adjoining each other, as shown in Fig. l.

A corrugated finger piece 23, afiixed to the top of the magazine, projects upwardly through slot II, as shown in Fig. 2. The finger piece serves as a means of slidingly shifting the magazine longitudinally with respect to the box, so that the band 22 of tinted panels may pass right under the window I6 for inspection and selection of the desired crayon disposed in its cell right under the respective panel.

When it is desired to remove a crayon from the box, this may be accomplished by the useof an extractor 24. The latter includes a horizontal bar 25, having downwardly sloping sides and adapted to slide out of box I0 through a. gate 26 cut in Wall I2. The bar is disposed flush with the surface of platform I8, its edges resting on bottom member I5, as shown in Fig. 4. A block 21, having a corrugated top surface 28, is mounted on what is the outer end of bar 25, and serves as a finger piece for a limited manual withdrawal of the extractor from the box. A slot 29 splits the bar 25 longitudinally, but is terminated at what is the inner end of the bar by member 30. The latter extends downwardly to a level below the lower surface of bar 25 and includes a small block 3I rising above the surface of said bar. The last mentioned block is small enough to fit into the interior of any cell 20.

Pivotally mounted Within slot 29 on pin 32 is a tongue 33, its end being out off at an angle, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the body of the tongue may be swung upwardly but cannot fall below the level of bar 25. Fitting into a groove 35 cut in the bottom of member I5 is a leaf-spring 36, one end of which is affixed to member I5, while the free end of the spring is adapted to bear against the lower side of tongue 33, when bar 25 with said tongue is pushed inwardly into the box.

It will be understood that each cell 20 contains a single crayon indicated by numeral 31, and that the extractor 24 is fully pushed in into the box so that the outer surface of block 21 is fiush with the outer surface of wall I2, as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to remove a crayon of a definite color, the magazine I9 is slid longitudinally within the box until a corresponding tint in the band 22 of tinted panels appears below window I6. This will bring the selected crayon right above the upper surface of the extractor 24, and, as the cell which contains the desired crayon is open at the bottom, the crayon will com to rest on the upper surface of the extractor. The latter, with the crayon resting on it, is then drawn out of the box as far as it will go. As the extractor includes block 3|, adapted to enter the interior of the respective cell, said block serves to push the crayon out of its cell. It is to be added at this point that the extractor cannot be fully withdrawn from the box as member 30, extending downwardly below the lower surface of bar 25, prevents it.

While the extractor remains in a drawn out position, block 3| being then within the cell right above the extractor, will prevent the magazine from being slid along the surface of plat form it for extraction of another crayon. In order to remove another crayon from the box, it is first necessary to return to the box the crayon which already had been removed. If it is attempted to slide in the extractor into the box, without a crayon resting on top of bar 25, spring 36 bearing against the lower surface of tongue 33, will cause said tongue to swing upwardly to a position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. By reason thereof, the tongue will find itself in an empty cell and act as a stop against the movement of the magazine, laterally with respect to said magazine.

When a crayon rests on top of bar 25 as shown in- Fig. 6, the tongue will be kept down, against the tension of spring 36 as the crayon itself, being interposed between bar 25 of extractor 24, and the ceiling of the cell. which it occupies, will not allow said tongue to swing upwardly. On the contrary when no crayon rests on bar 25, the end of spring 36 in slot 29 will abut against the end surface of said slot and prevent the extractor from being fully pushed-in.

It is hardly necessary to add that the box is not restricted to the use of crayons, but that colored pencils or even other items may be kept in the respective cells of the magazine. This means that the box is not limited to the accommodation of crayons or pencils, but may be also used for other purposes.

It will also be understood that some changes maybe made in the construction of the improved box without deviating from the inventive principle disclosed therein. What is claimed, therefore, is as follows:

1. A crayon box of the kind described; com prising a rectangular container with a flat top cover afiixed thereto, a magazine within the container slideably disposed under said top cover and having a plurality of OblOng cells extending parallel to each other, all being open at the bottom, and each providing space forone crayon, an extractor disposed slideably inthe side of the container parallel to the cells but in the plane of the lower side of the magazine, means to slide the magazine laterally over the extractor to bring any desired cell over the extract-or, a pivoted tongue axially disposed within the extractor, and spring means urging the tongue to enter the cell above the extractor, said tonguebeing normally kept in alignment with the surface of the extractor by a crayon, resting thereon.

2. A crayon box of the kind described, comprising an oblong container witha flat top afiixed thereto, and having a window substantially centrally located therein, a magazine slideably disposed below-said top, said magazine having a flat upper surface and a plurality of parallel cells open at the bottom for reception of individual crayons, the top surface of the magazine having thereon a, band of tinted panels to indicate the location of correspondingly colored crayonsin the 4 respective cells below, the band being in line with the above said window, a slideable extractor in the side of the box, positioned therein parallel to the cells but immediately below the level of said magazine, the extractor including a substantially flat bar, having an axial slot and a pivoted tongue therein, spring means below the extractor urging the tongue to enter the cell above the extractor, said tongue being normally kept in alignment with the surface of the extractor by a crayon being interposed between the upper surface. of the extractor and the ceiling of the cell above, and manual means to slide the magazine laterally over the extractor.

3. A crayon box of the kind described, comprising a container, a magazine therein having a plurality of parallel, oblong cells, each open at the bottom and each providing space for one crayon, an extractor disposed slideably in the side of the container, parallel to the cells and immediately below the magazine, means visible from outside th box, indicating the location of respective crayons according to color, means to slide the magazine laterally over the extractor to bring any desired crayon over the same, a pivoted tongue axially disposed within the ex tractor, and spring means to cause the tongueto enter the cell above, said tonguebeing kept normally out of the cell by a crayon interposed between the upper surface of the extractor and the ceiling of the cell above.

4. A crayon box of the kind described, comprising a container, a magazine within said, container having a plurality of parallel oblong cells, each open at the bottom and providing space for one crayon, an extractor slideably disposed in the side of the container below said magazinaparallel to said cells, means to slide the magazine laterally over the extractor to. bring a desired crayon over the same, means to slide out the extractor with the crayon thereon, and means within the extractor, responsive to the removal of the crayon therefrom to prevent, the lateral movement of the magazine.

5. A box of the kind described including a slide able magazine. with. a row of cells, each for one crayon, and including an extractor below said magazine, said extractor being adapted, to withdraw the crayon from a respective cell then above said extractor, the latter including a pivoted tongue for entry into the cellabove theextractor on removal of the crayon from said cell, to prevent operative movement ofthe magazine.

6. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a container, a magazine slidably mounted within the container and provided with a plurality of parallel individual crayon cells, each providing space for a crayon, an extractor slidably mounted within the container to traverse any crayon cell of the magazine registered therewith to withdraw a crayon therefrom, said magazine slidably mounted within the container for shif-table movement therein laterally over the extractor to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the extractor to be traversed thereby and means automatically operable upon removalof: a crayon from a'cell of the magazine for locking the magazine against shiftabl'e movement laterally, relative to the extractor.

'7. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a container, a magazine slidably mounted. within the container and having a plurality of crayoncontaining cells, each providing space for a crayon, an extractor mounted Within the container for relative shiftable movement parallel to-the cells of the magazine, said magazine being slida ble within the container relative to the extractor to bring any cell of the magazine into position to be traversed by the extractor and means intervening the magazine and extractor automatically operable upon withdrawal of a crayon from. a magazine cell to engage within the empty cell of the magazine to lock the magazine and extractor against that relative movement of the magazine necessary to bring another cell into position to be traversed by the extractor.

8. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided with a plurality of individual open crayon cells each providing a space for a crayon, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the crayon cells and having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine portion being relatively shiftable to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the discharge opening of the closure portion, an extractor carried by the closure portion and slidable through the crayon discharge opening thereof to withdraw a crayon from a magazine cell registered therewith.

9. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided *with a plurality of individual open crayon cells each providing a space fora crayon, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the crayon cells, said closure portion having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine portion being relatively shifta'ble to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with said discharge opening, an extractor slid'ably supported between said portions to traverse any crayon cell registered with said discharge opening to withdraw a crayon therefrom, said extractor having a part adapted at any position in the movement of the extractor while traversing a cell of the magazine to prevent that relative shifting of the magazine and extractor required to bring another cell of the magazine into registration with the extractor.

10. "A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided with a plurality of individual open crayon cells each providing a space for a crayon, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the openings of the crayon cells and having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine portion being relatively shiftable to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the crayon discharge opening .of the closure portion, an extractor slidably supported between said portions to traverse a crayon cell registered with said discharge opening to withdraw a crayon therefrom and means associated with the extractor operable to enter an empty crayon cell registered therewith to prevent that relative movement of the magazine portion and closure portion required to bring another cell of the magazine into registration with the extractor.

11. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided with a plurality of individual open crayon cells, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the openings of the crayon cells and having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine portion being relatively shiftable to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the crayon discharge opening of the closure portion for removal of a crayon, means coupled with the closure portion and aligned with the discharge opening thereof automatically operable to enter an empty crayon cell registered with said opening and prevent relative movement of said magazine and closure portions.

12. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided with a plurality of individual open crayon cells each providing a space for a crayon, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the openings of the crayon cells and having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine portion being relatively shiftable to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the crayon discharge opening of the closure portion for removal of a crayon, said closure portion provided with a pivotally supported part aligned with the discharge opening and adapted to swing to enter a crayon cell registered therewith upon removal of a crayon from the cell preventing relative movement of said portions,

13. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided with a plurality of individual open crayon cells each providing a space for a crayon, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the openings of the crayon cells and having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine ortion being relatively shiftable to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the crayon discharge opening of the closure portion for removal of a crayon, and locking means between said portions adapted to automatically enter an empty crayon cell of the magazine upon removal of a crayon therefrom locking said portions against relative movement.

14. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided with a plurality of individual open crayon cells each providing a space for a crayon, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the openings of the crayon cells and having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine portion being relatively shiftable to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the crayon discharge opening of the closure portion for removal of a crayon, and locking means positioned between said portions to bear against a crayon disposed within a cell of the magazine registered with the discharge opening of the closure and adapted upon the removal of the crayon from said cell to enter the cell and prevent relative movement of said portions.

15. A crayon box comprising, in combination, a magazine portion provided with a plurality of individual open crayon cells each providing a space for a crayon, a closure portion coupled with the magazine portion closing the openings of the crayon cells and having a crayon discharge opening, said closure portion and magazine portion being relatively shiftable to bring any cell of the magazine into registration with the crayon discharge opening of the closure portion for removal of a crayon, and locking means between said portions positioned when an empty cell is registered with the discharge opening to lock said portions against relative movement.

MINNIE M. WELLMAN. Administratria: of the Estate of Charles P. Wellmcm, Deceased, 

